Can I shoot rifled slugs through my 870 with the vented rib barrel? I thought I could but a coworker of mine said I shouldn't with the vent rib. I can't find a definitive don't do it or its ok answer so I thought I'd ask y'all.

The VR has absolutely zero to do with it. I imagine where that bit of misinfo originally came from is that vent rib barrels are usually fitted to sporting shotguns which often have some level of choke either fixed or removable greater than cylinder whereas non-VR is usually (but certainly not always!) un-choked.

You won't go far wrong if you just check that the slugs are compatible with the choke and that the shell length is compatible with the chamber length.

I don't have a choke in my shotgun. Was not sold with one and I haven't bought one

Not all shotguns use removable choke tubes, but all shotguns have some
degree of choke, ranging from "none" (cylinder bore) to "a lot"--the above
mentioned extra full/turkey choke.

If your gun is threaded for screw in chokes and you don't have one screwed in, you might
want to get a choke tube and screw it in--just to protect the threads.

If your gun doesn't use screw in chokes, look on the barrel. Typically left
side, just in front of the receiver. Does it say Full. Mod., Modified, I.C,
Cyl,. anything along those lines? If you have a 870 Express with fixed
choke, it's probably Full or Modified. Slugs are fine in either.

Not trying to start anything, but found it pretty funny that you have the name "gunsmith91", and asked a question about vent ribs and didn't know about chokes. Kinda like being called "master mechanic" and asking where to put gas in the car. Again, not being a jerk, just got a kick out of it!

Not trying to start anything, but found it pretty funny that you have the name "gunsmith91", and asked a question about vent ribs and didn't know about chokes. Kinda like being called "master mechanic" and asking where to put gas in the car. Again, not being a jerk, just got a kick out of it!

So does everybody. Really shoulda put pistol smith. Shotguns are not my work. Plus I haven't had my certification for 6 months yet